Advice to new "leaky" mom

One of my best friends delivered her first child about 1 month before me and now we're both pregnant with our second. She had problems with PPD compounded with very leaky breasts. She breast fed for 1 month before throwing in the towel. I'm trying to give her advice for her second in hopes that she lasts at least a little longer...not expecting much but maybe another month.

I never had the leaky boob problem so I can't relate. I'm assuming she has a small milk capacity (she's a really tiny person) and has to empty every 2 hours. She can't expect to take an extended nap and not wake up in a puddle?

Any advice from people who have had this issue is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Trying to keep up with a busy 3.5 year old Morgan Alexis born 11/5/09 at 6 lbs 5 oz and proud retired 1 year EP'er!

Re: Advice to new "leaky" mom

It's nothing to do with capacity, it's more just about a woman's letdown and production.

I leaked a bit less with the others than with my first, but I also knew more about the whole process. To let baby nurse all the time. That it's just going to happen. And I discovered I much preferred Lana Ektsra wood nursing pads to the disposable ones. I knew how many towels and cloth diapers to sleep on to keep the bed dry

And no, at the beginning, she cannot expect to not wake in a puddle. Mothering is messy. This is just the way it is. But it was shorter for me than with the first kid.

PPD IMHO is a bigger issue. She needs to come up with a plan now to combat that.

ETA: I leaked with the first for 10 months, one box of disposable pads a week. Yikes. But it got better every baby after that.

Re: Advice to new "leaky" mom

And really everyone should be feeding their baby every 2hours during the 1st month anyway. Perhaps talking to her about the fact that is is completely NORMAL and NOT reason to panic or give up....but just give the baby unlimited access to the boobs would be beneficial.

Re: Advice to new "leaky" mom

Thanks! I think one of her mistakes was to pump after a feeding so that she could get her husband to feed the baby and she could sleep...of course creating oversupply and a worse situation. Hopefully she'll do better with the PPD with the 2nd one now that she knows exactly what to expect with delivery/recovery (scheduled repeat c-section). I just don't know what else to tell her but that it's a hard, sleep deprived first 12 weeks and to just hang in there for as long as she can because it does get easier.

Trying to keep up with a busy 3.5 year old Morgan Alexis born 11/5/09 at 6 lbs 5 oz and proud retired 1 year EP'er!

Re: Advice to new "leaky" mom

Yeah, she needs to put the pump away. Learn to nurse laying down. Instead of having DH give a bottle, he can make sure she gets some baby-free time to shower, etc. and yes, you have to gut through those first 3 months. She has the complication of PPD, with an 80% chance of recurrence, so she really needs to come up with a plan. There is a book on PPD survivors expecting again by Karen Kleiman, I think, that she might find useful. Not terrific BFing friendly advice, but the plan outline is good.

Re: Advice to new "leaky" mom

Yes, we've had this discussion a few times in my local LLL meeting. We call it the very moist season of nursing-between night sweats (hormones regulating), leaking breast, and wet diapers, it's pretty moist in the bed! lol